Kay Wheeler Moore

Welcome to my blog

Hello. . .

The Newfangled Country Gardener is for anyone who has a garden, would like to have a garden, or who simply enjoys eating the garden-fresh way. I don't claim to be an expert; in this blog I'm simply sharing some of the experiences my husband and I have in preparing food that is home-grown.

About the author

Kay Wheeler Moore is the author of a new cookbook, Way Back in the Country Garden, that features six generations of recipes that call for ingredients that are fresh from the garden. With home gardening surging in popularity as frugal people become more resourceful, this recipe collection and the stories that accompany it ideally will inspire others to cook the garden-fresh way and to preserve their own family food stories as well. The stories in this book center around the Three Red-Haired Miller Girls (Kay's mother and aunts) who grew up in Delta County, TX, with their own backyard garden so lavish that they felt as though they were royalty after their Mama wielded her kitchen magic on all that was homegrown. Introduced in Kay's previous book, Way Back in the Country, the lively Miller Girls again draw readers into their growing-up world, in which a stringent economic era--not unlike today's tight times--saw people turn to the earth to put food on the table for their loved ones. The rollicking yarns (all with recipes attached) have love, family, and faith as common denominators and show how food evocatively bonds us to our life experiences.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Simple Onion Soup heartwarming on summery as well as cold days

While I'm on the subject of onions (after yesterday's post about the homemade onion rings), I’ll go on and tell you about this wonderful onion soup I made from—guess what?—onions from my garden again.

Hubby and I have a terrific memory of dining on French Onion Soup during a winter picnic shortly after we were married. One Saturday, B.K. (before kids), we decided to chunk the usual weekend household chores and instead stuff a blanket in the car and head off on a winter outdoor outing. We found a picnic spot about 90 minutes from our home and enjoyed some heartwarming soup on a cold day.

In the (many) years since, French Onion Soup has always evoked a special recollection. When I saw this recipe for a similar dish, I decided the time had arrived to walk down memory lane (and use up those beautiful onions the Good Lord helped us grow).

Simple is the correct word for this terrific menu item. Brown the onions in butter, add broth (I subbed chicken broth for the beef), and pour over toasted whole-wheat bread, with cheese sprinkled on.

Our warming outdoor temps right now definitely do not bespeak of winter, but the enjoyment of this Simple Onion Soup certainly can span the seasons.

Simple Onion Soup

1 tablespoon margarine
3 cups yellow onion, thinly sliced
6 cups lower-sodium beef broth (I used chicken broth)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
6 pieces, whole-wheat bread, toasted and cut into strips

In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat margarine. Add onions; sauté until onions are caramelized (light golden brown). Stir in broth and pepper. Bring to a boil; simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer the soup to an oven-safe dish. Place bread in the soup. Top with cheese; broil until the cheese is melted. Makes 6 1-cup servings. (Recipe source: Chickasaw Nutrition Services)

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